Front jaw for safety ski bindings

ABSTRACT

A front jaw for safety ski bindings and provided with a sole holder overlapping the shoe sole comprises a swivel jaw carrying the shoe sole holder and having a horizontal spring containing housing pivotally connected at its front end while the other end of the jaw has two downwardly extending projections which limit the horizontal swivel movement of the jaw relatively to a baseplate which is attachable to a ski. A spring operated roller in the spring containing housing engages the inner face of a Vshaped guiding surface provided on the rear end of the swivel jaw. The roller is normally disposed in the curved face formed at the apex between the leg portions of the V-shaped guiding surface for holding the jaw in its normal centered position with respect to the baseplate. The spring containing housing is pivotally mounted with its rear end on a vertical pin projecting from the baseplate.

FRONT JAW FOR SAFETY SKI BINDINGS [72] Inventor: Hans Dobler, Zurich,Switzerland [73] Assignee: A. Attenhofer AG, Zurich, Switzerland [22]Filed: June 5, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 43,839

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 11, 1969 Switzerland..8935/69 [52] US. Cl ..280/l 1.35 T [51] Int. Cl ..A63c 9/00 [58] Fieldof Search. ..280/11.35 T

[56]. References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,430,971 3/1969 Berlenbach..280/1 1.55 T 3,567,238 3/1971 Brunner ..280/11.35 T

30 ill 35\ 1 Feb. 11, 1972 Primary ExaminerBenjamin Hersh AssistantExaminer-Robert R. Song Attorney-Singer, Stern & Carlberg [S 7] ABSTRACTA front jaw for safety ski bindings and provided with a sole holderoverlapping the shoe sole comprises a swivel jaw carrying the shoe soleholder and having a horizontal spring containing housing pivotallyconnected at its front end while the other end of the jaw has twodownwardly extending projections which limit the horizontal swivelmovement of the jaw relatively to a baseplate which is attachable to aski. A spring operated roller in the spring containing housing engagesthe inner face of a V-shaped guiding surface provided on the rear end ofthe swivel jaw. The roller is normally disposed in the curved faceformedat the apex between the leg portions of the V-shaped guidingsurface for holding the jaw in its normal centered position with respectto the baseplate. The spring containing housing is pivotally mountedwith its rear end on a vertical pin projecting from the baseplate.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures iii PATENTEB FEB I I972 SHEET 1 BF 4PATENTED FEB 1 I972 SHEET 2 OF 4 PATENTED FEB 1 1972 SHEET 3 [IF 4 SHEET0F Q PATENTEU FEB 1 1972 skibindings, which is the shoe sole.

FRONT .IAW FOR SAFETY SKI BINDINGS The object of the present inventionis a front jaw for safety provided with a sole holder overlapping Knownfront jaws have partially the disadvantage that they loosen too easily,in that a shock is sufficient to release a spring-loaded ball or thelike and opens the binding. Compared with the same, the new front jaw ofthe present invention attempts to attain an opening of the binding onlyafter a previously increased resistance has been overcome, and only thenthe release takes place at once.

For this purpose the new front jaw according to the invention ischaracterized in this, that a swivel jaw carrying the sole holder ispivotally connected at its front end with a spring housing and atitsrear end with two downwardly projecting continuations is guidedlaterally slidably over a limited path on a baseplate fixedly secured tothe ski, whereby the spring housing contains a spring-loaded roller,which cooperates with a guide face of the swivel jaw facing it and aimsat holding the same in its center position, whereby this guide face isformed by two surface portions disposed at an angle to one another, andthat the spring housing on its part is pivotally at its rear end about apin fixedly secured to the baseplate.

The drawings illustrate by way of example the invention.

In the drawings FIG. I is a central vertical longitudinal section of afront J FIG. 2 is a horizontal section along the line IIII of FIG. 1;FIG. 3 is a horizontal section along the line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the front jaw in its rest position;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the front jaw in which the sole holder hasbeen slidably moved transversely to the longitudinal direction of theski;

FIG. 6 illustrates a pivotally moved front jaw in bottom view; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the front jaw in its rest position.

Referring to the FIGS. 1 to 6, illustrated front jaw comprises abaseplate 1, which by means of screws 2 (FIGS. 1 and 4) is secured onthe ski 3. In this baseplate 1 is riveted a bolt 5 from below in suchmanner, that it projects upwardly from the plate 1.

On the baseplate l is seated a spring containinghousing 8, whosebaseplate 4 is fixedly attached to the housing by means of rivets 6 or7, respectively (FIG. 3). The baseplate 4 projects rearwardly over thepart of the spring containing housing located thereover, and has in thispart protecting rearwardly a hole, in which enters the bolt 5. About thelatter, the spring containing housing is pivotally in a manner to bedescribed later. Above the baseplate 4 is disposed -on the rear-in thedrawing on the left-hand side of the spring housing 8a recess 9, whosevertical wall 9' (FIG. 3) is curved according to an arc of a circle. Thecenter point of this are lies in the axis of a vertical bolt 17 securedto the swivel jaw 14 still to be described, which bolt enters with itslower end into a corresponding bore in the upper side ofthe housing 8.

In a horizontal central bore 18 of the spring containing housing 8 isslidably guided a sleeve 19, on one end of which by means of a verticalpin 20 a roller 21 is rotatably mounted. A pressure spring 22 extendinginto the sleeve 19 aims at pressing the sleeve 19 and therewith theroller 21 backwards, that is, to the left in the-drawing. This spring 22engages, on the one hand, a transverse wall in the sleeve 22 and, on theother hand, a disc 24 outside the sleeve. The disc 24 is seated on thethreaded spindle 25 and carries a radially projecting pin 24', which isslidable in a slotlike window 26 of the spring housing 8. By means ofrotating the threaded spindle 25 which has a slotted head and which isaccessible from the outside, the disc 24 may be axially adjusted andtherewith'the effective pressure of the spring 22 be changed. The pin24' projecting into the window 26 serves at-the same time for indicationof the spring tension. As apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, the head of thethreaded spindle 25 rests on a cap 27 threaded into the front end of thecentral bore 18.

The spring containing housing 8 is covered by a swivel jaw 14. Thelatter enters with its bolt 17 mentioned above into the bore in theupper side of the spring housing 8. The swivel jaw 14 comprises an uppercover plate 15 to.which the mentioned bolt 17 isriveted, and a curvedjaw 16 disposed rearwardly (to the left in the drawing), which isprovided on its rear side with a series of vertical horizontallyextending teeth 32 (FIG. 7). A sole holder 30 is provided on its sidefacing the jaw 16 with corresponding teeth 31 (FIG. 2) which engage theteeth 32 and may be fastened by means of the screws 35 at differentpositions as to height. The front ends of the screws 35 enter therebyinto vertically disposed cylindrical holders 34, which are slidablydisposed in vertical bores 33 of the jaw I6. Slots 36 in the jaw 16 makethe passage of the screws 35 possible and insure a verticaladjustability of the sole holder 30 on the The swivel jaw 14 has belowthe cove plate 15 approximately vertically extending guide faces 23(FIG. 2) for engagement with the roller 21, arranged set back inrelation to the bolt 17. This guide face 23 is V-shaped and comprisestwo surface parts extending at least approximately at a right angle toone another, which meet in the longitudinal axis of the swivel jaw 14over a curve, in which latter in the rest position of the front jawshown in FIG. 2, the roller 21 is disposed.

The swivel jaw 14 has behind its part having the guide face 23,downwardly projecting lateral continuations 40. The latter lie withtheir front faces 39 (FIG. 5) against the rear edge 38 of thebaseplate 1. On the front side of the same and below the part of theswivel jaw 14 having the guide face 23, a holddown plate 10 is fixedlyconnected by means of screws 13 with the swivel jaw 14. This holddownplate 10 is arc-shaped on its front side and, indeed, the arc of thesame corresponds to the above-mentioned vertical wall 9 of the recess 9.The holddown plate 10 enters into this latter recess and preventsthereby an undesired raising of the swivel jaw 14. As apparent fromFIGS. 3, 5, and 6, the holddown plate 10 has an arcshaped slot 11, intowhich enters the head 12 of the abovementioned bolt 5.

The operation of the described front jaw is the following:

In the normal position, the front jaw will be in the rest position shownin FIGS. 1 to 4. The spring 22 urges the roller 21 into the recessformed by the two parts of the guide face 23. The shoe of the skier,whose sole-front part is gripped by the sole holder 30 and by meansknown per se, as for example, cable pull, heel-automat, or the like, ispressed on the same, is held thereby in the longitudinal axis of theski.

If a slight shifting of the tip of the sole takes place and therewith ofthe sole holder 30, then the swivel jaw 14 carrying the latter may beshifted sideways. In this operation it is guided with its downwardlyprojecting continuations 40 on the rear edge 38 of the baseplate 1. Withthis translatory movement of the swivel jaw 14, the bolt 17 is actuatedof course in the same degree. The bolt 17 actuates the spring housing 8,to which by this movement is forcibly imparted a pivotal movement. aboutthe bolt 17, since the rearward end of the baseplate 4 is held tight bymeans of the bolt 5. The head 12 of the latter moves thereby in the slot11 of the holddown plate 10 connected fixedly with the swivel jaw 14.The roller 21 travels onto one part of the guide face 23 and the spring22 opposes to this movement with an increasing resistance.

In practice, the front jaw shown is constructed in such manner, that theswivel jaw may be shifted in the manner predescribed on each side out ofthe center position by a distance of 8 mm. At the end of this limiteddeflection, ti will be found in the position according to FIG. 5. Thehead 12 of the bolt 5 has reached its end position in the slot 11 of theholddown plate 10 and can no longer move any further. Simultaneously theend of the edge 38 has been pushed so far, that it comes to lie over theinner corner 37 of the one continuation 40 and may move past on thesame. Now, the swivel jaw 14 may move about the bolt 5 into the positionshown in FIG. 6, whereby the shoe of the skier is released.

From the foregoing description of the course of movement which obviouslymay take place from the center position shown in FIG. 2 to both sides ofthe same, it is apparent that over a limited path, in the example shown,over the mentioned distance of 8 mm. solely a lateral shifting of theswiveljaw 14 and therewith of the sole holder 30 takes place, of course,against the resistance of the spring 22, whose pressure, as a result ofthe inclination of the two walls of the swivel jaw 14 forming the guideface 23 is the greater, the stronger is the shifting movement. Thespring 22 and the roller 21 have in this connection the aim of guidingback the parts into their normal position according to FIG. 2. Only ifthe shifting exceeds the predetermined distance, for example, thementioned distance of 8 mm., the shifting mentioned above about the boltcan take place, whereupon the shoe is immediately released. Lightershocks, transversely to the direction of travel, are accordingly takenup by the described front edge without the binding opening, to thecontrary, this opening takes place immediately and without difficulty,if the force which is exerted by the shoe of the skier on the front jaw,exceeds a determined amount.

From the position shown in FIG. 6, the front jaw must be rotated backagain by hand so far until the position according to FIG. 5 is reached.Then the roller 21 again engages the outer end of the guide face 23 andurges the parts back into the position shown in FIG. 2.

What I claim is:

1. In a safety ski binding, a toe holding device comprising a baseplatesecured to the top surface of the ski and having a front end and a rearend, a pivot pin projecting upwardly from said baseplate adjacent therear end thereof, housing means mounted on said pivot pin and extendinggenerally forwardly thereof and having a horizontal bore therethroughand a bottom curved slot into which said pivot pin extends, a swivel jawhaving a top portion disposed above said housing means, verticallyextending pivot means connecting said top portion of the swivel jaw tosaid housing means adjacent the front end thereof, said swivel jawhaving a rear portion extending downwardly from said top portion at therear end thereof, lateral projections on said rear portion of the swiveljaw extending downwardly therefrom and normally engaging the rear end ofsaid baseplate, a sole holder secured to the rear side of saiddownwardly extending portion of the swiveljaw, a V-shaped guide surfacein the font side ofsaid downwardly extending portion of the swivel jaw,spring means in said bore in the housing means, and a roller rotatablymounted at the rear end of said spring means and being biased by saidspring means into engagement with said V-shaped guide surface, saidroller normally occupying a position in engagement with the apex-portionof said V-shaped guide surface and being shiftable in relation theretoin either direction under the influence of an extraneous force on saidswivel jaw not exceeding a predetermined amount during movement of saidpivot pin in said curved slot and increase of the bias force of saidspring means, whereupon one of said lateral projections snaps over therespective rear end corner of said baseplate and thereby causes saidswiveljaw to suddenly release the sole holder with said roller resumingits position at the apex of said guide surface under the action of saidspring means.

2. Device according to claim 1, including a holddown plate disposedbelow said V-shaped guide surface in a recess in the spring containinghousing means and adapted to prevent removal of the swivel jaw.

3. Device according to claim 2, in which said holddown plate is providedwith said curved slot for receiving said vertical pivot pin. I

4. Device according to claim 1, in which said V-shaped guide surfacecomprises two parts forming between them an angle of about said apexportion of the guide surface being curved and disposed in the center ofthe guide surface.

5. Device according to claim 1, in which all parts are constructed andarranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center axis ofthe swivel jaw when in its normal position.

6. Device according to claim 1, including means for adjusting thepressure acting on the spring operated roller, said means including athreaded spindle attached to said housing means and a nonrotatable discon said spindle which engages one of said spring means, while the otherend of said spring means engages a slidable member carrying said roller.

7. Device according to claim 6, including a pin on said disc, said pinbeing slidable in a window of said spring containing housing means.

1. In a safety ski binding, a toe holding device comprising a baseplatesecured to the top surface of the ski and having a front end and a rearend, a pivot pin projecting upwardly from said baseplate adjacent therear end thereof, housing means mounted on said pivot pin and extendinggenerally forwardly thereof and having a horizontal bore therethroughand a bottom curved slot into which said pivot pin extends, a swivel jawhaving a top portion disposed above said housing means, verticallyextending pivot means connecting said top portion of the swivel jaw tosaid housing means adjacent the front End thereof, said swivel jawhaving a rear portion extending downwardly from said top portion at therear end thereof, lateral projections on said rear portion of the swiveljaw extending downwardly therefrom and normally engaging the rear end ofsaid baseplate, a sole holder secured to the rear side of saiddownwardly extending portion of the swivel jaw, a V-shaped guide surfacein the font side of said downwardly extending portion of the swivel jaw,spring means in said bore in the housing means, and a roller rotatablymounted at the rear end of said spring means and being biased by saidspring means into engagement with said V-shaped guide surface, saidroller normally occupying a position in engagement with the apex-portionof said V-shaped guide surface and being shiftable in relation theretoin either direction under the influence of an extraneous force on saidswivel jaw not exceeding a predetermined amount during movement of saidpivot pin in said curved slot and increase of the bias force of saidspring means, whereupon one of said lateral projections snaps over therespective rear end corner of said baseplate and thereby causes saidswivel jaw to suddenly release the sole holder with said roller resumingits position at the apex of said guide surface under the action of saidspring means.
 2. Device according to claim 1, including a holddown platedisposed below said V-shaped guide surface in a recess in the springcontaining housing means and adapted to prevent removal of the swiveljaw.
 3. Device according to claim 2, in which said holddown plate isprovided with said curved slot for receiving said vertical pivot pin. 4.Device according to claim 1, in which said V-shaped guide surfacecomprises two parts forming between them an angle of about 90*, saidapex portion of the guide surface being curved and disposed in thecenter of the guide surface.
 5. Device according to claim 1, in whichall parts are constructed and arranged symmetrically with respect to thelongitudinal center axis of the swivel jaw when in its normal position.6. Device according to claim 1, including means for adjusting thepressure acting on the spring operated roller, said means including athreaded spindle attached to said housing means and a nonrotatable discon said spindle which engages one of said spring means, while the otherend of said spring means engages a slidable member carrying said roller.7. Device according to claim 6, including a pin on said disc, said pinbeing slidable in a window of said spring containing housing means.